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View Full Version : Carriers Want to Reduce the Number of Supported Operating Systems


Mike Temporale
02-16-2006, 05:30 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/02/15/75403_HNmobileosesvie_1.html?source=NLC-TB2006-02-15' target='_blank'>http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/02/15/75403_HNmobileosesvie_1.html?source=NLC-TB2006-02-15</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Operators and handset makers are moving toward standardizing on just a few mobile phone operating systems. They're likely to choose relatively open platforms with large developer groups, according to experts at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona on Wednesday. ...operators want to try to standardize on just a few phone operating systems which would make it easier to offer consistent services across a wide range of devices. Vodafone (Profile, Products, Articles) Group currently supports handsets based on more than 15 different platforms, said Dirk Wierzbitzki, group director of terminals portfolio and services at Vodafone. Tweaking each application to work on each platform is expensive, and because the operator must work to the lowest common denominator, it's not offering the innovative services that it wants"</i><br /><br />Windows Mobile isn't mentioned as an option in this article, but other than that, I can't say I disagree with it. Operators just can't afford to support numerous different operating systems on their devices. Just like most corporate IT departments standardize on one desktop OS, the carriers are looking to reduce the number to something more reasonable. I think it's safe to say that most carriers would like 2-3 different operating systems, and it would be safe to say that Symbian and Windows Mobile are high on the list. At least, that's my ranking. :)

sojourner753
02-16-2006, 07:51 PM
It definitely makes sense for the carriers to standardize. The v600 was the last hack phone ... I mean dumb phone ... I mean "feature phone" that I owned. I vow to never go back. Only smartphones from here on out, regardless of what OS it is.

This could be good for the platform builders like Symbian and Windows Mobile. This will almost force OEMs to pick a standard platform rather than hacking ... uh writing their own.

I don't think carriers can ignore windows mobile, and I'm sure they don't want MS to feel like they need to go around them.